The First Mass at Mount Argus
15th August 1856
In 1856 the Passionists took possession of their first house in Ireland at Mount Argus Dublin. The project had been brought to fruition by Fr. Vincent Grotti C.P. who at the time was Provincial Superior in England.
In 1852 he had approached Cardinal Cullen for a foundation and was well received. The problem was a site. He had become friendly with Fr. Matthew Collier
a curate in the Parish of
Rathmines and through him was guided to the Manor House at Mount
Argus. The owner was Mrs. Byrne and she gladly sold it to the
Passionists and the sale was completed in May 1856.
For Fr. Vincent the next issue was the appointing of a Rector for
the new house and community. He decided on Fr. Paul Mary
Pakenham C.P.
, who at the time was in Rome in charge of students. He arrived back in
London on July 1st 1856. Fr. Paul Mary had been born in
Dublin. His father was the Earl of Longford, whose sister was married
to the Duke of Wellington. His mother was a sister of Earl Beauchamp.
One of Fr. Paul Mary’s sisters was the Marchioness of Exeter and
another Lady Carbury.
After an early military career, in which he distinguished himself in the Grenadier Guards, the Honourable Charles Pakenham astonished his noble circle of friends by becoming a Catholic in 1850, and further still, when he applied for admission to the Passionist Congregation and was accepted in 1851, and ordained a priest in 1855. As a religious he distinguished himself by his strict fidelity to his Rule and by his reputation for sanctity.
Fr. Paul Mary Pakenham came to take possession of the house at Mount Argus and celebrated the first Mass there on the Feast of the Assumption, 15th August 1856. He had been staying for a while with Mr. Terence Dolan, 31 Mount Pleasant Sq., Rathmines.
The Mass was said in the front parlour of the house with a congregation of five persons. These were Bro. Seraphin Pesce C.P., Fr. Matthew Collier the Rathmines curate, and three lay people. The first lay person was Mrs. Byrne who had sold the property to the Passionists. The other two were Mr. and Mrs. William Tully of 73 Harold's Cross. They were friends of Fr. Paul Mary and Mrs. Tully and Mrs. Byrne were cousins. Later that day Fr. Vincent Grotti joined them after a Mission in Drogheda. There were also visited by Most Rev. Dr. Kilduff, Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise who welcomed them to Ireland.
The house at Mount Argus
is described by Fr. Pius Devine C.P. as
being tall (three stories), of red brick, ‘like a slice cut from a
factory’ which towered over a few orchard trees. It became the
Retreat of Blessed Paul of the Cross.
Quickly people flocked to the new foundation so that the 'parlour-chapel' was inadequate. On September 17th Fr. Vincent laid the foundation stone for a new chapel. It extended from the side of the house, the parlour been 'scooped out' as the sanctuary and the top story of the house removed.
Work with the new chapel proceeded so rapidly that within three months the building was completed. On the 19th December, 1856 the Solemn dedication took place of the Church of St. Patrick and Blessed Paul of the Cross. Cardinal Cullen was ill and his place was taken by Dr. Whelan, Bishop of Bombay assisted by Dr. O'Connor, Bishop of Saldes. Many clergy attended and the sermon was preached by Dr. White, Provincial of the Dominicans.